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Refuting the hateful rants at the "Joyfully Growing in Grace" blog:
"12 Undeniable Truths That Drive Law 'Keepers' Crazy"

The Christian housewife who hosts the "Joyfully Growing in Grace" blog and Facebook page is obsessed with tearing down those who wish to obey God's Divine Instructions in Righteousness (Torah) - as this hateful cartoon of hers (just one of many) indicates. She has apparently forgotten that Yeshua Himself "dressed like a Jew"....

"Joyfully Growing in Grace" (or JGIG) is hosted by a Christian housewife named Wendy Burgess, who apparently views herself as a Christian apologetics guru. Her most fervent desire, as evidenced by her blog and Facebook group by the same name, is to not only challenge the "Messianic" and "Hebrew Roots" belief, but to viciously attack, goad, berate, harass and bash anyone who wishes to OBEY God! No matter how much Scripture one can produce to show where she is in error, she will always take you back to the writings of Paul - the much misunderstood writings of Paul upon which Christianity is based....

The only reason we are bothering to respond to this, one of her myriad challenges to "Hebrew Roots" as "JGIG" likes to call those who wish to OBEY God, is because we have personally experienced her "debates" - which are not "debates" at all; but rather spiteful, hateful, vitriolic rants and barbs and verbal beatings designed to ridicule and bash those who dare to disagree with her. We also know first-hand that, no matter how much Scripture one presents, she will angrily rebuff anything you have to say - usually with "Paul said...."

JGIG's supposed "proof" that Torah observance is "evil" and "wrong" is amply reflected in her article entitled,"12 Undeniable Truths That Drive Law 'Keepers' Crazy" - clearly designed to "stump" anyone who is truly seeking God with all their heart, mind and soul; and to thwart people's desires to TRULY "grow in grace."

While we realize this woman only wishes to stand up for what she believes, it is disturbing to see her constantly behaving in a most "un-Christian" way - because, as mentioned above, she WILL verbally pound to pieces anyone who dares to disagree with her! (Check out out her Facebook posts sometime...you'll be shocked to discover the things she and her "Christian" friends post in that group! It's a true viper pit!) What is also disturbing is her stubborn rejection of the "whole Bible" wherein YHWH reveals who He is and what He expects of HIS people.

Only YHWH Himself knows how many people JGIG has kept from ALL His Truth, and we have therefore refuted her "12 Undeniable Truths" aimed at those of us who wish to obey YHWH's commands. May those with eyes to see and ears to hear be able to see and understand! We are sorry this is such a long article, but we wish to present "the whole picture" complete with JGIG's allegations and our responses - to show the world that her "Undeniable Truths" are nothing more than Christian attempts to keep from having to obey the whole Word of God. ("JGIG" has, since we posed our challenge in the article below, changed her original article somewhat, misquoting some more scriptures in hopes of "proving" us wrong....But the below is enough evidence to show how very misguided this "JGIG" is, and we don't intend to waste anymore time on her...You'll get the picture!

JGIG's assertions:

12 Undeniable Truths That Drive Law 'Keepers' Crazy

Posted on November 5, 2010 by JGIG

Having debated with those in Law-keeping sects for the last couple of years, the following are some truths that I've found to be of particular frustration and annoyance to them as they try to convince me that those in Christ are mandated to 'keep' Torah:

1. Yes, it is the NEW Covenant, not the RENEWED Covenant. To get to the idea of a 'Renewed' Covenant, one must play fast and loose with the language of the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament.

Response from The Refiner's Fire:

It is very important to understand that YHWH did NOT make His "new/future covenant" with "Christians"; He made it with the Houses of Israel and Judah, both of whom were Torah observant. (See Jeremiah 31:32.) AND He commanded that anyone who accepted Him as their God, must do exactly as His people do - as a matter of fact, He said it four times in a row!

Numbers 15:13 "'Every citizen is to do these things in this way when presenting an offering made by fire as a fragrant aroma for ADONAI. 14 If a foreigner stays with you - or whoever may be with you, through all your generations - and he wants to bring an offering made by fire as a fragrant aroma for ADONAI, he is to do the same as you. 15 For this community there will be the same law for you as for the foreigner living with you; this is a permanent regulation through all your generations; the foreigner is to be treated the same way before ADONAI as yourselves. 16 The same Torah and standard of judgment will apply to both you and the foreigner living with you.'"

Please re-read the above in case you missed it: Any Torah-less non-Jew/Hebrew/Israelite who does not yet believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is an "alien"/foreigner. However, if they do wish to accept Him, then they are to do exactly as those who are already belong to Him! This was not only spoken to ALL the Tribes and the foreigners standing before Him on that day, but it echoed into all ages, for YHWH never retracted these statements.

"Living among" means not necessarily physically, but rather, it refers to all those who have accepted the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They MUST be Torah observant, just like the Houses of Israel and Judah were with whom God made His New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:32)!

Romans 10:12. And in this, it discriminates neither Jews nor Gentiles. For there is one, Master YHWH, over them all, who is abundantly generous towards every one that calls on him. 13. For everyone that will call on the name of Master YHWH, will have life.

Keeping the above in mind, WHY would anyone think that our Creator would send a human being named "Jesus" to earth to change all of His divine rules? Jesus (whose given Hebrew Name was Y'shua, which means "YHWH is Salvation") was the arm of YHWH - Isaiah 53:1. He was divine because of His divine "qnoma"/nature; and He came NOT to do His own will; but rather, to do the will of His Father and to proclaim the Kingdom!

Luke 4:43 "But he (Yeshua/Jesus) said, "I must preach the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent."

Luke 8:1. And it happened after these things that Y'shua was going around in the cities and in the villages and was preaching and declaring the Kingdom of Elohim.

Acts 28:23 "From morning till evening the Apostle Paul explained and declared the Kingdom of God and tried to convince people about Yeshua from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets."

Acts 24:14. But this indeed I (Paul) acknowledge, that in that same doctrine of which they speak, I do serve the Elohim of my fathers, believing all the things written in Torah and in the prophets.

So, while His death, burial, and resurrection are an important part of the Good News, it's not the whole story! God isn't just in the business of "saving" people. As Creator and law giver, He is in the business of teaching us how to be good subjects in His Kingdom to come! If "Jesus abolished Torah at the cross" then why was EVERY believer completely Torah observant for one hundred years after Yeshua's death, including the Apostle Paul who was "caught" being Torah observant 29 years after Yeshua's death (Acts 21:23-24)! Was Paul a hypocrite, saying one thing and doing another; or were his teachings, perhaps, misunderstood?

As for JGIG's assertion that the new covenant is NOT a "renewed" covenant - perhaps this article might interest a true seeker....And in reality, does it really matter whether it's "new" or "renewed"? The fact is, it's a continuation of the Torah and the rest of the "Old Covenant!" It's not some entity that came to replace God's original Divine Instructions in Righteousness!

JGIG's assertions:

2. Paul's letters, read as written, really do teach that the Body of Christ is no longer under the Law. (See most of New Testament.) Paul was given revelation directly from Christ (2 Corinthians 12, Galatians 1, Ephesians 3) and his writings were recognized by the other Apostles as Scripture (2 Peter 3:16). Christ foretold of greater revelation concerning the Church, making it understood that there was more to come, that the Holy Spirit would reveal much to the Body of Christ through His Apostles (John 16:12-16), making it clear that Torah was not the end all and be all to what God wanted to communicate to His people. What Christ did matters. I so tire of Law 'keepers' who say things like, "If there is one person most MIS-understood and most MIS-quoted it is the Apostle Paul. Almost as soon as Paul penned his words, the church began twisting them to say the complete opposite of what he had intended."

The above is a common mantra throughout the Hebrew Roots/Messianic Judaism/Law 'keeping' sects. They accuse the Body of Christ of, at best, misinterpreting Paul's writings to Her, at worst, outright lying about the words Paul penned to Her. What is really amazing is that everyone but those in the contemporary HRM/MJ movements and their sects have had it wrong for nearly 2000 years? How is it that God would allow such a thing?! Only now He's allowing His Truth to be known? Are we really to believe that?

When I heard the Law-keeping rendition of Paul's letter to the Galatians (one of my first exposures to the HRM), it was almost comical to see how Paul had been turned on his head by those who assert that he advocates Torah observance for Gentiles. And it was not because I am so steeped in 'church tradition' that I say that what I heard from these Law 'keepers' was error. A simple reading of the writings of Paul reveal his intent, and Torah is not central to his writings, but Jesus Christ, His work, and His absolute authority are repeatedly established and hailed as paramount.

Paul centered EVERYTHING he taught on the completed work and authority of Christ. Torah is a part of what Paul taught, but Jesus Christ - Who He is and what He did - is central to what Paul taught the Body of Christ:

1 Corinthians 2:2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Ephesians 1:15-22 15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Then there are those who realize that for them personally to retain any credibility the Scriptures that Paul penned cannot be twisted to such a point where they support their theology and so they choose instead to throw Paul under the bus altogether.

Response from The Refiner's Fire:

To help you understand the gravity of how badly Christianity has taken the writings of Paul out of context, we invite you to take a closer look at our refutation of one's Christian's assertions about Galatians. If "Paul's letters, read as written, really do teach that the Body of Christ is no longer under the Law" as JGIG asserts, then WHY did he make this comment in Romans 3:31? "Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law"....

Responding to JGIG's question, "Is He just now allowing His truth to be known?" - YHWH's TRUTH was out there as far back as the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve realized they had gone against His command to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. His truth was with Cain and Abel who KNEW to present sacrifices! Same with Noah who knew the difference between "clean and unclean" animals! Yet, Christians have turned His Truth on its head with their endless "Paul said" ideology - thus raising the writings of Paul above the teachings of Y'shua and the commands of YHWH Himself! It's almost as if what Jesus taught doesn't matter; what's important is what "Paul said" - never mind that Paul was just MERE MAN who NEVER went against Y'shua's teachings or YHWH's commands!

We must ask here: Did Jesus ever quote Paul? When he was being "tested" by satan in the wilderness, whom did he quote - Paul? No. He quoted TORAH -YHWH's Divine Instructions in Righteousness, without which we would have NO blueprint for moral, holy living!

Luke 4:1. Now Y'shua while being filled with the Ruach haKodesh returned from the Yordanan and the Spirit led him into the wilderness 2. For forty days that he might be tempted by the accuser. And he did not eat anything in those days. And when he had completed them, he hungered at the end. 3. And the accuser said to him, "If you are the Son of Elohim, say to these rocks that they should become bread."

4. Y'shua answered and said to him, It is written that man should not live by bread alone, rather, by every Word of Elohim. 5. And Satan took him up to a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the earth in a short period of time. 6. And the accuser said to him, "I will give all this authority and all its glory that is delivered to me, and I can give it to whomever I desire. 7. All of it will be yours, if therefore you prostrate yourself before me."

But Y'shua answered and said to him, It is written that you should worship Master YHWH your Elohim, and you should serve Him alone. 9. And he brought him to Urishlim and placed him upon the edge of the temple and said to him, "If you are the Son of Elohim, cast yourself down from here to below, 10. For it is written that He will command to His Messengers that concerning you, to keep watch over you, 11. And they will bear you upon their arms, or else you dash your foot against a stone." 12. But Y'shua answered and said to him, It is said that you should not test Master YHWH your Elohim. And when the accuser had finished all his temptations, he departed from His presence for a while.

Note that Yeshua didn't fight or argue with the devil; he quoted Torah: "It is written!" WHAT was "written?" Torah! All who know YHWH and Yeshua and Torah need to learn to heed and do likewise. Arguing with others usually gets us nowhere. Scripture speaks for itself. People will either listen and begin to obey...or they won't.

Christians love to throw around that "completed work of Christ" adage, as if his job was to come to earth and abolish everything his Father ever commanded and REPLACE Him altogether! Somehow, it slips by that Messiah came to basically "put a face on God" so man could better understand what YHWH ELOHIM was saying; to personally teach Torah and to show mankind exactly how to keep the commanded Sabbath (which is a SIGN between YHWH and His people) and His Feasts/Appointed Times (of which Y'shua has so far fulfilled the first FOUR of the SEVEN!); and then he offered his own divine blood to atone for our sins. He never, ever said he came to negate his Father in any way. As a human being he did not have that right! He was the MESSIAH; his Father's Emissary (His "arm" - Isaiah 53:1; and the Word - John 1:1, 14), doing exactly what His Father wanted. Nothing more, nothing less!

Scriptures such as Numbers 15:13-16 are clear that ALL who accept YHWH are their God are to do exactly as HIS (Torah observant!) people do - and "Jesus" never said he came to abolish that particular passage. He also never suggested that he came to bring a new religion called Christianity that would call his Father's Divine Rules "bondage" or a "curse"....

Numbers 15: 13 "'Every citizen is to do these things in this way when presenting an offering made by fire as a fragrant aroma for ADONAI. 14 If a foreigner stays with you - or whoever may be with you, through all your generations - and he wants to bring an offering made by fire as a fragrant aroma for ADONAI, he is to do the same as you. 15 For this community there will be the same law for you as for the foreigner living with you; this is a permanent regulation through all your generations; the foreigner is to be treated the same way before ADONAI as yourselves. 16 The same Torah and standard of judgment will apply to both you and the foreigner living with you.'" (CJB)

JGIG's assertions:

3. God is eternal, Torah is not. Torah is created, not eternal. There is an attempt in the Law keeping community to attach godly attributes to Torah, when in reality Torah is representative of God's character and expectations, not an embodiment of them. You may hear the Law 'keeper' say things like,

"Torah was before time", "God spoke creation into being, and what did He use to do that? His Word! What is His Word? Torah! What does John 1:1 say? The Word was with God in the beginning . . . therefore Torah is eternal!"

They will also take that train of thought (right off a cliff!) and say that the Word in John 1:1 is Torah and turn that into "Yeshua is the Living Torah", totally misusing the Greek word logos John uses for the word, Word. I used to think this was more of a fringe belief in the Hebrew Roots/Messianic Judaism and Law 'keeping' sects, but the belief that Yeshua is the Living Torah is a fairly widespread belief. They are undoubtedly preaching a different Jesus.

2 Corinthians 11:4-6 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. 5 I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles." 6 I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.

Response from The Refiner's Fire:

May YHWH forgive this ignorant, blasphemous comment of JGIG's, which surely must have made the Holy Spirit cringe: "God is eternal, Torah is not. Torah is created, not eternal." Wow! It is absolutely amazing how one could possibly miss that Torah consists of YHWH's Divine Instructions to mankind. His Divine Instructions are not eternal? That has to be the most ludicrous statement of the millennium! Rather than to spell out everything that's wrong with that comment, please read this simple explanation about what Torah is and is not.

JGIG, like most Christians, always insist on using the Greek to explain away the Aramaic/Hebrew that Y'shua and all the Apostles spoke. It's the rare person who stops to ask himself: Why would Aramaic and Hebrew speaking Apostles have written the Gospels and the entire "New Testament" in a foreign language?

For example, while JGIG builds her whole dogma around the Greek word "logos" to deny the deep meaning of "Word" in John 1:1, she should really go look at the original word in John 1:1 which was "Miltha". The AENT explains: "(The Aramaic) 'Miltha' has no direct English equivalent. It can mean "Word", "Manifestation", "Instance" or "Substance" among other things." So important is the word 'Miltha', that the AENT left it untranslated so as not to change or negate its significance!

JGIG's assertions:

4. The catch-22 problem with the 'Yeshua is the Living Torah' doctrine: If Yeshua is the Living Torah, then the Law DID die. If the Law died, then it is no longer in effect. If you are a Law 'keeper', are you going to come back and say that the Law rose from the dead? Are you going to pick the Law apart like you do to 'keep' it? Can you pick Yeshua apart and say that only 'parts' of the Word were put to death? Was the Law resurrected?

Game over. Law 'keepers' shred their own theology with such an unscriptural doctrine. Not only is it unscriptural, it's just plain silly.

Sound doctrine elevates Yeshua to the fullness of God as the Scriptures say He is (Colossians 2:9-17). The doctrine Law 'keepers' believe diminishes Yeshua to a written code. If you hold to the 'Yeshua is the Living Torah' doctrine, the Law died.

The Bible says that Christ is the end of the Law for all who believe (Romans 10:4). That indicates a change in relationship to the Law for the believer. It seems that sound doctrine has more respect for God's Law than does 'Yeshua is the Living Torah' doctrine does. (See also The Law of Christ - Defined and Defended to explore the believer's relationship to Law in Christ.)

Response from The Refiner's Fire:

Typical Christian flaw to suggest "Jesus is the END of the law" in hopes of showing Christians don't have to do anything more than to "believe in Jesus!" (Who, by the way, RESURRECTED!) Somehow, it never computes that this may be a mistranslation from the original Aramaic!

Romans 10:4 "Mashiyach is the end (Gk. telos) of the Torah, so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes." (NIV)

While telos can mean "end", it is very irresponsible to render it this way due to the flexibility of that term in the receiving language. In English, "end" has two meanings. The first is "termination" which is the majority usage of the word in English. However, we also have phrases such as "the ends do not justify the means." In this case, the lesser-used meaning is that of "goal", which applies in both Greek and English.

Rav Shaul clearly refers to the Torah itself as "perfect, righteous and good" (Romans 7:12), so it is very foolish to then think that he turns around and teaches the "termination" of Torah. Instead, and as Rav Shaul clearly teaches in Galatians 3, Torah is the tutor that instructs and brings people to Mashiyach. Then, when a person understands and accepts the fact that Y'shua is Mashiyach, he (Mashiyach) becomes Torah's goal.

It is important to remember that Y'shua's HUMAN body died; His "Torah" did not! Why would it? Torah consists of His DIVINE INSTRUCTIONS! Since JGIG insists on quoting Paul ad nauseum, people need to stand back and loudly ask: Did Rav Sha'ul (Paul) say the Law (Torah) was nailed to the cross?

Colossians 2:14 - He wiped away the bill of charges against us. Because of the regulations, it stood as a testimony against us; but he removed it by nailing it to the execution-stake 15 stripping the rulers and authorities of their power he made a public spectacle of them triumphing over them by means of the stake.

He wiped away the documented opinions of men (bill of charges) against us and took them from our midst....The Torah is holy, righteous and good. To suddenly have it "nailed to the cross" would mean that the things of God were originally evil, something to be done away with!

Rav Sha'ul also said this, concerning the opinions of men:

Col 2:16 - So don't let anyone pass judgment on you in connection with eating and drinking, or in regard to a Jewish festival or Rosh-Hodesh or Shabbat.

This doesn't mean Rav Sha'ul was negating Torah. He was warning about the opinions of men concerning these things - NOT giving permission to transgress or dismiss them.

"Game over!" says JGIG in her ignorance of the "big picture - but we will wait a little longer before claiming victory, because the "game" has only just begun!

JGIG's assertions:

5. It was our SIN that was nailed to the Cross, not just man's additions to or the curses of the Law. What was blotted out and nailed to the cross? What stood against us? Convicting us in the sight of God? That which the Law defines - SIN. Law Keepers assert that Christ merely nailed human traditions added to the Law or just the curse of the Law to the Cross. Jesus accomplished so much more than that.

**This entry has been edited after a fellow contender for the faith corrected me. They say it best, so I'll post what they wrote to me here (Many thanks CIAN!):

"The LOM did NOT die on the cross, Jesus did, and through HIS death on our behalf, all believers have DIED as well - The LOM is NOT dead, but WE are DEAD to IT (a crucial distinction) " It is our SINS which Jesus took upon His own head on the cross when He became SIN for us (He did NOT become the LOM) - I think that is a pivotal point to keep in the forefront of our thinking as we read this passage & others relating to it " WHAT is REMOVED in Col.2:11 " NOT the LOM (!!!) but our body of flesh, our body of dead works, our body of SIN " The decrees certified against us in verse 14 have been CANCELLED out and taken away (Because our Transgressions were forgiven, having been Nailed to the Cross in HIS Body) and the charges have been dropped against US since they were levied upon Jesus (in our stead) who PAID our DEBT BOND, He Himself being the Surety Forfeited because of our DEFAULT."

Seeing that human tradition carries no authority to convict man in God's sight and sin does, that it was merely human tradition or just the curse of the Law that Law 'keepers' assert was nailed to the cross simply fails in light of the facts and the context. Once sin is washed away, the Law is done with us . . . it has led us to the Cross - and there we become a New Creation! We no longer have the same relationship with the Law as we did before the work of Christ in our lives!

Colossians 2:9-15 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Response from The Refiner's Fire:

JGIG's "law" misconceptions and "what Paul wrote" ideas were answered in the previous response, above! So, let's move on to discuss Colossians 2:9-15 IN CONTEXT:

Colossians 2:8 Beware, or else any man make you naked by philosophy and by vain deception, according to the doctrines of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to the Mashiyach 9 in whom dwells all the fullness of Elohim bodily.[1] 10. And in him you are also complete because he is the head of all principalities and authorities. 11. And in him you have been circumcised with a circumcision without hands, by casting off the flesh of sins by a circumcision of the Mashiyach. 12. And you have been buried with him by immersion; and by it you have risen with him while you believed in the power of Elohim who raised him from the dead.

13. And you who were dead in your sins and by the uncircumcision of your flesh, he has resurrected with him; and he has forgiven us all our sins: 14. and, by his mandates, he blotted out the certificate of our (sinful) debts which (handwriting) existed against us, and took (it) from the midst and affixed (it) to his stake..[2] 15. And, by yielding up his body, he showed contempt for principalities and authorities; and put them to shame, openly, in his own person. 16. Let no (pagan)[3] therefore judge you about food and drink, or about the distinctions of festivals and new moons and Shabbats 17. which were shadows of the things then future; but the body of Mashiyach.[4] (AENT)

Explanation from the AENT:

[1] The fullness of Elohim (Spirit) dwells within the physical body (flesh) of Mashiyach, but is not his physical body. Paul says, "Elohim sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh on account of sin; that He might, in his flesh, condemn sin;" (Romans 8:3). And, "flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven: neither does corruption inherit incorruption" (1 Cor 15:50).

[2] CThe Aramaic word khab means both "sin" and "debt" and in this case both meanings are meant simultaneously. Also the Aramaic word shtar means "handwriting" but specifically the kind of handwriting that is on a bill, which makes sense if you have debts. The end result of all this is that the certificate of debts/sins cannot be Torah. Instead it is the written second witness of our sins which would normally require penalties, but is nailed to the beam of the stake. YHWH requires that two witnesses come forward to execute a criminal. He even holds Himself to this standard if He is one of the witnesses. As a result, when Y'shua takes the certificate of our sins, he is in effect taking that required second witness out of the way. Without the written second witness, though we sin, we cannot be destroyed for that sin, and can then approach our Heavenly Father YHWH for the gift of eternal life. (Matt 6:12 some Greek texts read "forgive our debts" and others "forgive our offenses.")

[3] The Body of Mashiyach must not be concerned with the judgments of those who are outside the Malchut (Kingdom of) Elohim; that is, those who don't know Torah or Mashiyach. It is clear, given the location of this audience and the fact that Paul always references Jews directly, that Paul is addressing the local talk of the pagans whose religion dominates this region.

[4] Compare this with Colossians 1:24. Paul is stating that the "Body of Mashiyach" determines how to observe Torah, including Kashrut (dietary laws), Shabbats, Moedim (Appointimed Times/seasons) and Rosh Chodeshim/Head of the Month; therefore, don't let lawless pagans judge you as they have their own religious customs and way of doing things! For instance, most Christians know full well that Y'shua was NOT born on December 25th, but the pagan celebrations have become such entrenched traditional rituals that truth has become an embarrassing inconvenience. Unfortunately, the Church today continues to follow in the idolatrous footsteps of ancient and modern Israel according to Ezekiel 8:14 and Jeremiah 10 and 17.

The problem is, a vast majority of Christians twist this passage to teach that Shabbat and the Feasts of YHWH "were fulfilled by Christ and are no longer necessary" - which completely contradicts what Paul taught - that YHWH's Feasts are a shadow of things to come; not to mention, they are rehearsals for the Bride of Mashiyach! What Mashiyach and Paul call "good," most Christians call evil. They even believe that their pagan -based rituals are sanctified through a "Christian" label (see Isaiah 5:14-23).

JGIG's assertions:

6. The Holy Spirit is perfectly capable of sanctifying the believer apart from observing Mosaic Covenant Law. The Holy Spirit works righteousness from the inside out, where the Law merely restrains sin from the outside. Where the Law instructs man regarding his sinful condition, the Gospel transforms man regarding his sinful condition! The believer walking in submission to the Holy Spirit will not be led into sin. The believer walking in rebellion to the Holy Spirit will be miserable!

Galatians 5:16-18 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Galatians 6:11-15 11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand! 12 Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation.

Does that mean that we as believers cannot learn from the Law? Of course not! ALL Scripture is profitable . . .

2 Timothy 3:14-17 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Response from The Refiner's Fire:

Let's take a look at Galatians 6:11-15 in context:

Galatians 6:11 See these large letters I have written to you in my own hand![1] 12. Those that desire to be boasting in the flesh are those who are compelling[2] you to circumcision, only or else by the stake of the Mashiyach, that they might not be persecuted;[3] 13. For not even they who are circumcised obey Torah, but they desire you to be circumcised so that they might boast in your flesh.[4] 14. But let me not boast, except by the stake of our Master Y'shua the Mashiyach by whom the world is put to death on a stake, (and also) to me and I to the world. 15. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything, but a new creation (is what is something). AENT

Explanation from the AENT:

[1] Because Rav Shaul is not a professional scribe, he needs the help of others like Tertius in Romans 16:22 to make his dictated epistles presentable to the assemblies he is sending them to. A professional scribe can write small letters in a precise and clear manner, and this is a benefit when we consider how scarce both paper and ink was in antiquity. This phrase then in Galatians 6:11 is more a sheepish, self-deprecating (albeit also lighthearted) remark from Rav Shaul about his penmanship. It is more like saying, "it's real big handwriting to prove to you I proofed my letter, because if it looked all pretty you know I could not have written it!"

[2] However you weight the word "compelling" whether you believe it to be a forceful ultimatum or a strong suggestion, you must apply equal weight where Paul uses it in Galatians 2:3. Unlike his opponents, Paul refuses to use circumcision or baptism of converts as something to put on his scorecard; see 1 Cor. 1:13-17. Unlike his opponents, Paul accepted each soul as an equal; he did not preach one set of rules for Jewish followers of Mashiyach and another for Gentiles. See Galatians 3:26-29; 2:11-17.

[3] This summary points to Jews who desire to follow Y'shua but who also want to be accepted by traditional Judaism. Most Gentiles have no awareness of the persecution against Jews by their own people when they choose to follow Y'shua. Some families along with their Rabbis hold mock funerals for relatives who follow Y'shua; others mock, persecute, gossip and slander any Jew who confesses Y'shua as Mashiyach. Therefore, knowing the consequences, it is human nature to try to be accepted in both worlds. Paul is addressing these matters, but Christians twist this Epistle into a license to abandon Torah and circumcision, which is an extremely shameful conclusion.

Rav Shaul rebukes those who turn Torah and Circumcision into idols; however, Christians are equally as culpable when their religious traditions become idols and truth becomes the stumbling block. Y'shua restored the Ancient Path spoken of in Jeremiah 6:16. YHWH offered the Brit Chadasha (Renewed Covenant) so that both Jew and Gentile can fully embrace Torah in Mashiyach. The downside is the same for Christians as it is for Jews: those living among Christians are persecuted for observing Torah; those living among Jews are persecuted for proclaiming Y'shua! Religion is much more comfortable than Truth; nothing has changed in 2,000 years.

[4]If they obeyed YHWH, they would teach Torah to the Gentiles according to Awraham's example; Awraham first heard YHWH's voice and then he was circumcised. Jeremiah 9 offers a scathing rebuke of Israel by accusing her of being like Moab and Egypt, and the nations that circumcise because of local tradition yet have no relationship with YHWH nor walk in Torah as He requests.

Notice how JGIG constantly contradicts herself? "Does that mean that we as believers cannot learn from the Law? Of course not! ALL Scripture is profitable . . ." Yet, above, she wrote, "Paul's letters, read as written, really do teach that the Body of Christ is no longer under the Law." And: "God is eternal, Torah is not. Torah is created, not eternal." And: "The catch-22 problem with the 'Yeshua is the Living Torah' doctrine: If Yeshua is the Living Torah, then the Law DID die. If the Law died, then it is no longer in effect. If you are a Law 'keeper', are you going to come back and say that the Law rose from the dead? Are you going to pick the Law apart like you do to 'keep' it? Can you pick Yeshua apart and say that only 'parts' of the Word were put to death? Was the Law resurrected?"

JGIG even used 2 Timothy 3:14-17 against her own arguments: "16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Since ALL Scripture is God-breathed and useful to teaching, rebuking, correcting and Training in righteousness" then who is JGIG to insist the Torah died on the cross?

Footnote in the AENT to 2 Timothy 3:14-17: There is much going on in these last two short verses! One of the hallmarks of Western languages like Greek and English is a lack of redundancy in their prose. Hebrew and Aramaic, however, appear very redundant in their morphology, containing double statements such as, "and he opened his mouth to speak and said...." These verses speak volumes about their original Aramaic composition, since there is no reason to say in Greek "all scripture is written." The very definition of scripture demands a written document! Instead, Paul is using a double exploitation of the same root ktab as both "scripture" and "writing."

Also the words yulpana (doctrine) and mardota (instruction) are most interesting, since the first word also contains the exact same meaning as the second; but Paul apparently wanted to make a precise point and not list the same word twice. Furthermore "instruction in righteousness" is an excellent definition for "Torah"; this is buffeted by a similar sounding word, toorza, which comes right after it. The same phenomenon occurs with gmira (complete) and meshalmin, which also means "complete" but is rendered here as "perfected." And so we have clusters of similar meanings together: Ktab (scripture, writing); Yulpana (doctrine, instruction) and Mardota (instruction); Gmira (complete, perfection) and Meshalmin (complete, perfection).

Game's still not over, JGIG!

JGIG's assertions:

7. Law is not law unless it is enforced. Those in the Hebrew Roots/Messianic Judaism streams of thought pick and choose what laws they follow. They call it being 'Torah pursuant' - doing what they can as they are 'led'. God's Law does not allow for this practice! To follow that way of thinking is to cheapen both the Law and the Holiness of God Almighty!

Those who are Torah 'pursuant' completely ignore the very important enforcement aspects of Mosaic Covenant Law. It would seem that the judgement aspects of the Law are part of the jots and tittles, if you know what I mean. If you want to see some Torah-pursuant back-pedaling, see how your Law 'keeping' friends respond when you ask them why they don't obey Deuteronomy 16 and 17. (See also Is Law Really Law Without Enforcement?)

Response from The Refiner's Fire:

We "pick and choose" what laws to follow? Really? Perhaps this article about those "613 Torah commands" would allow you to better understand "what laws" we follow! And this one explains which ones can still be kept today.

JGIG's assertions:

8. The fruit of the Hebrew Roots/Messianic Judaism belief systems and related sects is not good. While attempting to sway you to a Torah-pursuant lifestyle one may appear to be sweet and nice at the outset, but consistently challenge them on their beliefs with contextual Scripture and look out for the teeth and claws! (Edited to add: An example of what I'm talking about can be found in a run of comments from 'Brandon' found HERE at JGIG.) There are several who have lined up to be 'witnesses against me' at the judgement because I disagree with mandatory Torah observance for those in Christ. Apparently I am not alone as one who has witnesses lining up against me . . .

This came to a fellow believer/friend of mine who had a civil discourse with such a person. Then this, after my friend clearly was rejecting Law keeping doctrine (bolding, color, spelling, and exclamation points all by original author):

"According to Heb 10:26 you are headed for the fire!! and this direction you are on will lead to destruction!!! and I am one witness who will testify of your disobedience in front of Yahushua (Jes*s), I pray you will obey YHWH (GOD) before there comes another witness! And according to 1 Jon [sic] you are a liar so, dream what you will regarding your understanding" but don't let your dreams keep you from experiencing everlasting life with the Creator of the universe! REPENT NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE! My last post to you! R~

GO AND SIN (LAWLESSNESS) NO MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"".eversasting [sic] "

Other Christians who contend for the Faith on debate forums have had similar threats leveled at them. Beyond the obvious problems with the above, I've had false witness borne against me by Law 'keepers' countless times, one has threatened me with legal action for content on this blog, and I've received veiled threats because I stand by the completed work of Christ at the cross!

Galatians 5:22-26 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Response from The Refiner's Fire:

We totally agree that the "fruit of many Messianics/Hebrew Roots types is NOT good! There are MANY wolves in sheep's clothing...and they're all out there, fighting for their opinions instead of the Word of God! "But, brothers, reach deep into yo pockets and keep those tithes coming in...".

But what are you going to do about YHWH's TRUTH? WHY do you wish to negate that He has some divine rules holy living for you to follow? HOW did the death of Jesus abolish the need for obedience to His "forever" commands? Did "forever" end last Tuesday? Where did Jesus ever say He came to bring Christianity (a new religion that would not only negate His Divine Instructions in Righteousness, but also allow Christians special privileges that suggested they were "under grace" and all that would be required of them was to "believe in Jesus")?

Matthew 5:17 Don't think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. 18 Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah - not until everything that must happen has happened. 19 So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness is far greater than that of the Torah-teachers and P'rushim, you will certainly not enter the Kingdom of Heaven! AENT

QUESTION: Has everything that "must happen" happened yet? Have "heaven and earth passed away? If not, then it seems believers are supposed to BE Torah observant today! Where the Messiah says: "So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven" is a major key, because it is talking about YHWH's commands! Whoever disobeys the least of His commands and teaches others to do so will be called "the least" in heaven! What commands are they: TORAH commands - those that have the word "forever" or "throughout your generations" attached to them! "Forever" hasn't ended yet! Not to mention, "fulfill" never meant "to put an end to." It means, Yeshua came to do His Father's will and to fulfill "the next thing on the agenda".....

And JGIG - you're not the only one who's ever had threats leveled against them. Since the creation of The Refiner's Fire in 2002, we have receives TONS of threats, including "death threats" - and every last one of them was from Christians like yourself....

But go on JGIG, and keep insisting that "Paul said the 'Law' was negated!" Then reread the words of the Messiah himself, above!

JGIG's assertions:

9. Torah is not our access to God and His Character or His promises. Faith in Jesus and belonging to Him is. There is relationship with God that is available to us that was not available to those under the Law.

Ephesians 3:2-6 2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 11:39-40 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Response from The Refiner's Fire:

Wow - yet another statement that must have made the Holy Spirit cringe: "Torah is not our access to God and His Character or His promises. Faith in Jesus and belonging to Him is."

Torah, as has been stated plenty of times above, consists of the first five Books of the Bible - the books that contain ALL of God's "do's" and "don'ts." If you only had the last THIRD of the Bible that comprises what is (incorrectly) called the "New Testament" then how would you know who God is, what He expects of His people, and where Jesus originated? How would you know the HISTORY of God's people, or how the world began if all you ever read was the (Greek) "New Testament" written by MAN (whereas Torah was written by the hand of God Himself, through Moses)? Torah contains all the "thus saith the Lord" commands; whereas the New Testament is ABOUT what He commanded....

Silly comments on your part, JGIG! Typical Christian comments, coming from a "Greek" mindset that has a lot to learn about the HEBREW mindset employed by Y'shua and all His disciples and apostles....

Honestly, how on earth can you say: "Faith in Jesus and belonging to Him is...our access to God and His Character or His promises" when Jesus Himself says: "He who loves me keeps my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him and we will make a dwelling with him. But he who does not love me will not keep my word and this word that you hear is not mine; rather, it is of the Father who sent me." (John 14:23-24).

How can anyone be so blind as to not see that Jesus is saying "to love" Him is to obey His Word and that His Word is Torah? Is that REALLY too hard to understand? His charge to mankind is to live our life by the Word (Torah) - which JGIG arrogantly then goes off and denies! But she makes no bones about bashing people like us for wanting to live by His Torah....

JGIG's assertions:

10. The hermeneutic (a method or principle of interpretation) used by those teaching HRM/MJ doctrines is fluid. There is no stable underlying framework from which those in Law 'keeping' sects interpret and teach Scripture. They make use of eisegesis over exegesis, transliteration, Midrash, proof texting, and shift back and forth between 'Hebraic' thought and Western thought when it suits their purposes.

Some will even go so far as to use 're-translated Scriptures' - those translated from what they claim is the original Hebrew or Aramaic New Testament writings. In other words, they reject the Greek Primacy of the New Testament Scriptures, opening up all kinds of new interpretations of the writings to the Body of Christ as they purpose to substitute specific Greek language that the Apostles actually used in their writings with what HRM/MJ teachers consider to be Hebrew or Aramaic 'equivalents'. Key Biblical doctrines affected by this practice are those hinging on words such as justification, repent/repentance, Word, commandment, fulfill, etc. If it (HR/MJism) were indeed truth, the belief system would be able to stand on a plain reading of Scripture and not have to build all kinds of theological interpretive contraptions to get Scripture to mold to their way of thinking.

Response from The Refiner's Fire:

Wow - apparently JGIG has made it all about what SHE THINKS! Greek primacy? We need to ask her: You mean the primacy that resulted in not only mistranslated words, but entire concepts and which have skewed the writings of Paul into oblivion, while making what you THINK Paul wrote, more important that what YHWH actually commanded and what Yeshua actually taught?

You're referring to the "primacy" that has turned "Miltha" to "logos" (see above) and the word "rope" into "camel" in Matthew 19:24, thus suggesting a camel was to go through the eye of a needle? And that the word "cock" (temple crier) in Matthew 26:34 became "rooster", around which entire Christian sermons have been built? (Just a couple examples to show the fallacy of your "Greek primacy!")

Matthew 19:24 And again I say to you that it is easier for a rope to enter into the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Elohim.

Matthew 26:34 Y'shua said to him, Truly I say to you, that in this night before the cock crows you will deny me three times.

Footnotes from the AENT:

[1] Gamala refers to a "heavy rope" rather than a "camel" which is also spelled gimel-meem-lamed-alap. Greek scholars puzzled over a camel passing through the eye of a needle, which is a physical impossibility. Y'shua is clearly not saying a rich man can't enter, or he would not "love" this one! The "heavy rope" lesson teaches about a rich man entering into heaven, after he "unravels" his fortune strand by strand as Y'shua instructs. If his wealth was bound tightly and strong like a rope, it is to be unwound like threads which will pass through the eye of the needle! Careful attention is required to thread a needle; so are the rich obligated unto YHWH for how their wealth is acquired and dispersed. Theological attempts to "prove" the eye of the needle to be a geographical location have utterly failed.

[2] The "temple crier" was a Gaver, Hebrew for "cock" or "rooster". He was responsible for opening the temple before dawn and calling out loudly, two or three times to announce the early morning services.

People are free to bash and rant about the Hebrew and Aramaic originals all they wish, but that in no way negates them and in no way makes the "Greek" versions somehow correct! The above are only a couple examples of mistranslated WORDS; we haven't even begun to touch on the mistranslated/misunderstood CONCEPTS and CONTEXTS of certain subjects, or the horrific misunderstandings about Paul's writings.... Truly! If you want to "believe" that the Greek New Testaments in no way changed the Word into something entirely different, then you have that right. But your own words reveal the contradictions created by your "Greek primacy" nonsense!

JGIG's assertions:

11. Those in Law-keeping sects seek to make the simple complicated. Notice when someone like me comes along with a simple New Covenant concept like the realities of grafting or the Law of Love how some Law 'keepers' go on and on about how I "just don't understand - here - let me throw 30 different Old Testament passages and a couple of out-of-context and/or misapplied New Testament passages at you to show you how you're wrong".

Response from The Refiner's Fire:

Actually, "law keeping sects" attempt to show why there's more to God and the Bible than "just believing in Jesus"...It's time people began to ask themselves why God gave us an entire TWO-THIRDS of the Bible way before the LAST THIRD ever came along - and why/how that "last third" somehow negated the first two-thirds....which, by the way, keeps referring BACK to those first TWO-THIRDS!

Apparently JGIG's Bible reads: In the beginning was Paul, and Paul was with God, and Paul was God because she and other Christians love to invoke the writings of Paul over and above God and Y'shua! They are clearly part of the group Peter spoke of in 2 Peter 3!

2 Peter 3:15 And account the long suffering of Master YHWH to be redemption; as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom conferred on him, wrote to you; 16. as also in all his letters speaking in them of these things in which there is something difficult to be understood; (and) which they who are ignorant and unstable pervert, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. (AENT)

Amazing how Peter wrote of how Paul"s letters had already been turned into a Torahless fiasco, even in Peter"s day! Certainly it was not the Pharisees who were renouncing Torah Observance, but the humanist, pagan and materialist, "modernists" who operated under "Christian" labels.

And back to Paul who wrote:

Acts 24:14 "But this I do admit to you: I worship the God of our fathers in accordance with the Way (which they call a sect). I continue to believe everything that accords with the Torah and everything written in the Prophets.

So - was Paul a "Christian"? And did he teach something different from Torah? Again, the answer is a resounding "NO!" But that's certainly what people like "JGIG" want you to believe!

JGIG's assertions:

12. Law 'keepers' cannot deal with contextual writings written to the Body of Christ, or their theology falls apart. It is on the core issues of the simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that belief systems stand or fall. Who Jesus Christ is, what He did, and that He instituted the New Covenant in His Blood, making a way for all men, through faith in Him, to have relationship with God - these are core issues that are muddied by those in the Hebrew Roots Movement/Messianic Judaism streams of thought. Some key results from those muddied issues:

Response from The Refiner's Fire:

The only theology that has fallen apart is the one that has ignored the written Word that specifically states man shall not have "other gods" or make up their own rules and religions that serve to ignore YHWH's commanded Sabbath and Feasts/Appointed Times and come up with their own man-made "holy days" - both of which are steeped in paganism!

Christianity can't even be bothered to keep the Seventh Day REST, let alone His Feasts! Yet, they proclaim to be "holy" - while adamantly and vehemently denying Torah and calling it a CURSE (Galatians 3:13).

Daniel 7:25 He will speak words against the Most High and try to exhaust the holy ones of the Most High. He will attempt to alter the seasons and the law; and [the holy ones] will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.

Who are "the holy ones"? They are those who obey His Torah - because Torah and only Torah is the blueprint for holiness (1 John 3:4)!

In closing - although we have only scratched the surface in answering JGIG's supposed "unanswerable questions" - we leave you with the following passage:

Galatians 3:9 Then the believers are blessed by Awraham the faithful one. 10. For those who are servants of Torah are still under a curse, for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not act on all that is written in this book of Torah." 11. But that no man is made righteous by Torah before Elohim is evident, for it is written, "the righteous will live by faith". 12. Thus Torah is not made by faith, but whosoever will do the things that are written in it, will live in it. 13. But Mashiyach has redeemed us from the "curse of Torah,"[1] by becoming accursed[2] for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree".[3] 14. That the blessing of Awraham might come to the Gentiles through Y'shua the Mashiyach; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The AENT explains:

[1] There are 12 specific curses mentioned in Deut. 27:15-26; however, one can also apply this to the entire Torah simply because if anyone knowingly or unknowingly sins but does not seek forgiveness and restitution, they are under a curse, certainly not a blessing. There is a "Y" in the road of every choice we make; one road leads to blessing, the other to a curse. See Eighteen New Testament Misconceptions #4: Curse of the Torah in Appendix.

[2] Y'shua was "accursed" by his accusers, but Christians teach that YHWH and Torah accused Y'shua. However, Y'shua was the Perfect Lamb. He never broke Torah; therefore could never come under any curse of Torah. We come under the curse when we sin and refuse to turn to YHWH!

[3] See Deuteronomy 21:22-23. Y'shua committed no capital crime. Pharisees were warning Jews off Y'shua by saying that he had become a curse because he hung on the torture stake. The Pharisees tried to vilify Y'shua before the Jewish people. Paul is repeating this accusation of the Pharisees for the benefit of "Messianic Pharisees" (see Tosefta Sanhedrin IX.7). "Messianic Pharisees" (Galatians 2:4) were likely weary of being shunned by their people (see Matthew 10:39) and wanted back into the synagogues, so they were posturing themselves as Ebionites (see footnote Titus 3:9).

Today "Messianic Pharisees" or Ebionites, attend Orthodox synagogues and are enamored with traditional Rabbinical Judaism; they believe Y'shua is Mashiyach, but not the Arm of YHWH or YHWH Tsidkenu revealed. Paul is using the strongest words possible to affirm the Truth by reminding certain Galatians that they are trying to dilute the Netzarim Faith with traditional Pharisaism. In 2,000 years little has changed; many Orthodox Rabbis still call Y'shua a bastard and a curse of the Jewish people because he "hung on the stake." Some Rabbis will even provide a mock funeral for Jews who follow Y'shua, and teach that the family member is as though they never existed; so if one can understand the duress that certain "Messianic Pharisees" were under, then one can understand why Paul chose such severity of words!

Christians need to remember they are grafted in; they are NOT "natural branches" and they therefore have no right to change God's words! (See Romans 11:11-31) To suggest that "law keepers" are somehow evil, is NOT in keeping with what YHWH commanded, what Y'shua taught, and what Paul wrote.

NOW THE GAME IS OVER, JGIG!